DISCOVERIES ALLEGED

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1933, Page 7

DISCOVERIES ALLEGED

EXTENSIVE RAIDS MADE. HEATED DEBATE IN DAIL. Rec. 10 pm. Dublin, Dec. 1. Raids were extensive at West Cork, including General O’Duffy’s headquarters and the homes of Blue Shirts commanders.- Although not accompanied by arests, Mr. De Valera’s new swoop on his opponents astounded the Free State. The raiders in each case consisted of a superintendent, inspector and ten detectives armed with warrants authorising a search for arms, ammunition 'and seditious documents. A sergeant told Mr. Cronin that he discovered four boxes of ammunition at' the party’s offices. Mr. Cronin denied that ammunition was there an hour earlier. Mr. Cronin later said: “A police official asked me if I accused them of planting the ammunition and I replied, T not only accused them of planting it but was also prepared to swear that either they or their agents planned it,’ ” In the Dail Dr. O’Higgins denounced Mr. De Valera’s conduct of the economic war and condemned the raids wherein the Government’s opponents’ homes were entered and their wives treated as no women should be treated by Free State officers. If the Government could not provoke United Ireland Party members by what they did to them they would provoke them by what they did to their wives. Dr. O’Higgins added that he possesed proof of 100 brutal asaults on members of the United Ireland and Young Ireland organisations. Young and old men had been taken from their beds and beaten.

Mr. Ruttledge, replying, read, documents, some of which he said had been seized in the raids, which he alleged proved conclusively that the Young Ireland Party’s aims were revolutionary. He added that arms and ammunition had been discovered. The raids were carried out in daylight. Professor O’Sullivan amid uproar protested against irrelevant statements and declared the Government was goading young men into committing illegalities. He appealed to young men not to play Mr. De Valera’s game, He was still speaking when the Dail rose until January 31.